It’s Yours… If You Can Take It: Here’s how this DIY brand grabbed eyeballs for its flagship product!
I’m a believer in this strategy because it exemplifies just how impactful unconventional campaigns can be. For today’s case study, I’ll be putting the spotlight on a creative and socially beneficial guerrilla marketing campaign. Ready to know more? Keep reading below! |
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It’s Yours… If You Can Take It: Here’s how this DIY brand grabbed eyeballs for its flagship product! Selleys, a do-it-yourself (DIY) products company, has long been a fixture in the Australian market. Founded 87 years ago, the company has grown from a firm that manufactures and sells putty and adhesives into one that homeowners in Australia can rely on for various carpentry, car care, and household products. Selleys’ longevity as a brand attests to its ability to provide high quality products to its target market. However, that doesn’t mean the brand was content to rest on its laurels. It understood that it needed to engage its target audience in a meaningful and “sticky” way. That’s why in 2025, it came up with a campaign that not only flexed the strength of its product but also drew buzz for the brand! Here’s how that campaign played out… It’s Yours… If You Can Take It Selleys is known for its Liquid Nails product, an adhesive used to bond building materials without the use of nails.
To demonstrate just how strong and reliable this product is, Selleys, together with its creative partner Howatson+Company, came up with the “If You Can Take It It’s Yours” campaign. It’s simple yet remarkably witty. The brand made a spectacle out of demonstrating the strength of its liquid nails adhesive. This was done by gluing a variety of objects into a giant billboard. Some of the objects include a kayak, an arcade machine, a cricket bat, toolbox, and a 2.8-meter marlin figure. The choice of these objects were deliberate because the liquid nails adhesive was marketed as having the ability to hold 400 kilograms of holding power per square meter. Of course, this campaign wasn’t as cut-and-dry as it initially seemed to appear. You see, the campaign came with a twist.
The objects glued onto the billboard weren’t just for show. Australians who visited the exhibit could keep the objects glued to the billboard… … provided that they’re able to pull those things away. To draw more attention to the stunt, Selleys invited influencers to participate in the exhibit, alongside regular bystanders who wanted to try their luck. A YouTube video was also uploaded to draw further attention to the campaign. The “If You Can Take It It’s Yours” campaign managed to deliver the following results:
Aside from those results, the campaign was featured on various Australian media publications and earned accolades from awards-giving bodies like The One Club and D&AD. What made it so successful? It’s simple, really. Selleys put a creative twist on flexing the effectiveness of its product. By coming up with a practical and witty demonstration, Selleys was able to draw eyeballs for both its flagship product and brand. Awesome, right? Hope you’ve found this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful. Stay tuned for next Thursday’s Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing! Do you want to know how one campaign turned gambling ads against themselves? See it in next week’s article! |
Miles Everson
CEO of MBO Partners and former Global Advisory and Consulting CEO at PwC, Everson has worked with many of the world's largest and most prominent organizations, specializing in executive management. He helps companies balance growth, reduce risk, maximize return, and excel in strategic business priorities.
He is a sought-after public speaker and contributor and has been a case study for success from Harvard Business School.
Everson is a Certified Public Accountant, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants. He graduated from St. Cloud State University with a B.S. in Accounting.
